Inflatable device pressure gauge apparatuses and methods

Abstract

Inflatable device pressure gauge apparatus and methods are described. According to one aspect, an inflatable device pressure gauge apparatus includes a housing, an attachment mechanism configured to attach the pressure gauge apparatus to an inflatable device which comprises an air chamber which is configured to be inflated to an increased pressure above atmospheric pressure during use of the inflatable device, a pressure sensor coupled with the housing and configured to sense pressurized air from the air chamber of the inflatable device and to output a signal corresponding to an air pressure within the air chamber, a processor configured to process the signal from the pressure sensor and to control generation of a user perceptible emission regarding the air pressure of the air chamber as a result of the processing of the signal, and a power source coupled with the housing and configured to provide electrical energy to the processor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An inflatable device pressure gauge apparatus comprising:
 a housing; 
 an attachment mechanism configured to attach the pressure gauge apparatus to an inflatable device which comprises an air chamber which is configured to be inflated to an increased pressure above atmospheric pressure during use of the inflatable device; 
 a pressure sensor coupled with the housing and configured to sense pressurized air from the air chamber of the inflatable device and to output a signal corresponding to an air pressure of the air chamber; 
 a processor coupled with the housing and configured to process the signal from the pressure sensor and to control generation of a user perceptible emission regarding the air pressure of the air chamber as a result of the processing of the signal; 
 a power source coupled with the housing and configured to provide electrical energy to the processor; and 
 wherein the pressure sensor is further configured to sense atmospheric air and to use the sensed atmospheric air to generate the signal corresponding to the air pressure of the air chamber; and 
 wherein the housing is configured to define:
 an air passage in fluid communication with a first port of the pressure sensor and the air chamber of the inflatable device; and 
 an internal volume in fluid communication with the atmospheric air and a second port of the pressure sensor. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pressure sensor, the processor and the power source are provided within the internal volume. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the internal volume is watertight. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a display, and wherein the processor is configured to control the display to output the user perceptible emission in the form of graphical information regarding the air pressure of the air chamber. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising alarm circuitry, and wherein the processor is configured to control the alarm circuitry to output the user perceptible emission in the form of an audible alarm as a result of the air pressure of the air chamber triggering at least one threshold. 
     
     
       6. An inflatable device pressure gauge apparatus comprising:
 a housing; 
 an attachment mechanism configured to attach the pressure gauge apparatus to an inflatable device which comprises an air chamber which is configured to be inflated to an increased pressure above atmospheric pressure during use of the inflatable device; 
 a pressure sensor coupled with the housing and configured to sense pressurized air from the air chamber of the inflatable device and to output a signal corresponding to an air pressure of the air chamber; 
 a processor coupled with the housing and configured to process the signal from the pressure sensor and to control generation of a user perceptible emission regarding the air pressure of the air chamber as a result of the processing of the signal; 
 a power source coupled with the housing and configured to provide electrical energy to the processor; 
 wherein the inflatable device comprises a valve assembly configured to selectively permit flow of the pressurized air with respect to the air chamber, and wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to be attached to a valve port body of the valve assembly; and 
 wherein the inflatable device is a watercraft. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the attachment mechanism comprises threads configured to mate with threads of the valve body. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a lock member configured to mate with a lock member of the inflatable device. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the housing is configured to provide the valve assembly in an open configuration to permit the flow of the pressurized air to the pressure sensor during sensing of the pressurized air by the pressure sensor. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to attach the pressure gauge apparatus to a wall of the inflatable device. 
     
     
       11. An inflatable device pressure gauge apparatus comprising:
 a housing; 
 an attachment mechanism configured to attach the pressure gauge apparatus to an inflatable device which comprises an air chamber which is configured to be inflated to an increased pressure above atmospheric pressure during use of the inflatable device; 
 a pressure sensor coupled with the housing and configured to sense pressurized air from the air chamber of the inflatable device and to output a signal corresponding to an air pressure of the air chamber; 
 a processor coupled with the housing and configured to process the signal from the pressure sensor and to control generation of a user perceptible emission regarding the air pressure of the air chamber as a result of the processing of the signal; 
 a power source coupled with the housing and configured to provide electrical energy to the processor; and wherein the attachment mechanism comprises:
 an extension from the housing which is configured to pass through an orifice in a wall of the inflatable device; and 
 a nut configured to be coupled with the extension, and wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to form a seal with respect to the wall of the inflatable device; and 
 
 wherein the inflatable device is a watercraft. 
 
     
     
       12. An inflatable device pressure gauge apparatus comprising:
 a housing; 
 an attachment mechanism configured to attach the pressure gauge apparatus to an inflatable device which comprises an air chamber which is configured to be inflated to an increased pressure above atmospheric pressure during use of the inflatable device; 
 a pressure sensor coupled with the housing and configured to sense pressurized air from the air chamber of the inflatable device and to output a signal corresponding to an air pressure of the air chamber; 
 a processor coupled with the housing and configured to process the signal from the pressure sensor and to control generation of a user perceptible emission regarding the air pressure of the air chamber as a result of the processing of the signal; 
 a power source coupled with the housing and configured to provide electrical energy to the processor; and wherein the housing comprises an orifice, and further comprising a semipermeable membrane configured to cover the orifice and prevent water and debris from entering an internal volume defined by the housing and to pass air molecules of atmospheric air into the internal volume defined by the housing. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the semipermeable membrane is a first semipermeable membrane and the housing is configured to define an air passage from the air chamber of the inflatable device to the pressure sensor, and further comprising a second semipermeable membrane configured to prevent water and debris from passing through the air passage and pass air molecules of the pressurized air through the air passage to the pressure sensor. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the pressure sensor is within the internal volume and the orifice is a first orifice, and wherein the pressure sensor is configured to:
 receive the air molecules of the atmospheric air from the internal volume; and 
 receive the pressurized air from a second orifice in the housing which is in fluid communication with the air chamber of the inflatable device. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising:
 a button adjacent to an exterior surface of the semipermeable membrane; 
 a switch adjacent to an interior surface of the semipermeable membrane and configured to output another signal to the processor as a result of a user depressing the button; and 
 wherein the processor is configured to change the user perceptible emission as a result of the outputted another signal from the switch. 
 
     
     
       16. An inflatable device pressure gauge apparatus comprising:
 a housing; 
 an attachment mechanism configured to attach the pressure gauge apparatus to an inflatable device which comprises an air chamber which is configured to be inflated to an increased pressure above atmospheric pressure during use of the inflatable device; 
 a pressure sensor coupled with the housing and configured to sense pressurized air from the air chamber of the inflatable device and to output a signal corresponding to an air pressure of the air chamber; 
 a processor coupled with the housing and configured to process the signal from the pressure sensor and to control generation of a user perceptible emission regarding the air pressure of the air chamber as a result of the processing of the signal; 
 a power source coupled with the housing and configured to provide electrical energy to the processor; and 
 wherein the housing comprises an extended portion which is configured to be inserted into a valve port body of a valve assembly of the inflatable device, and further comprising first and second seal members configured to form respective first and second seals with the valve port body upon insertion of the extended portion of the housing into the valve port body, and wherein the first seal member is configured to form the first seal prior to the formation of the second seal by the second seal member during the insertion of the extended portion of the housing into the valve port body. 
 
     
     
       17. An inflatable device pressure gauge apparatus comprising:
 a housing; 
 an attachment mechanism configured to attach the pressure gauge apparatus to an inflatable device which comprises an air chamber which is configured to be inflated to an increased pressure above atmospheric pressure during use of the inflatable device; 
 a pressure sensor coupled with the housing and configured to sense pressurized air from the air chamber of the inflatable device and to output a signal corresponding to an air pressure of the air chamber; 
 a processor coupled with the housing and configured to process the signal from the pressure sensor and to control generation of a user perceptible emission regarding the air pressure of the air chamber as a result of the processing of the signal; 
 a power source coupled with the housing and configured to provide electrical energy to the processor; and 
 wherein the housing comprises an extended portion which is configured to be inserted into the valve port body of a valve assembly of the inflatable device and to provide the valve assembly in an open configuration during insertion of the extended portion of the housing into the valve port body. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17  further comprising a seal member configured to form a seal with the valve port body during the insertion and prior to the provision of the valve assembly in the open configuration.